Attachment for pruning shears



A. nAussE. ATTACHMENT FOR PRUNING SHEARS. APPLICATION FIITED APR. I. 1922.

1,426,214, Patented Aug. 15, 922;

WITNESSES M/VE/VTOR 6 v AURA/5Y8 unites series.

ANTONIO RAUSSE, 0F NORTHVALE, NEW JERSEY.

ATTACHMENT T 0 allwh'om it may concern: a

Be it known that I, ANTONIO RAUSSE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Northvale,in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Priming Shears, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to a handle fastener for tools of the scissors type.

In the operation of a pruning shears or other tools of the scissors type, which are controlled by a spring normally forcing the handles outward, it is often necessary-to provide some means for holding the handles closed in order to slip the tool into the pocket when not in use. When using a pruning shears it is usually found that it is inconvenient to free both hands in order to operate the means for holding the handles closed. This may be the case with using other tools of the same type. Hence a tool provided with means closed which is capable of easy operation by one hand would be of considerable value.

The general object of this invention is the provision of a cheap, efiicient and simple fastening means for use in conjunction with tools of the scissors type, provided with means for locking the handles closed when not in use, and means for retaining the locking means in an inactive position when the tool is being operated.

This object is accomplished by providing, on one handle of the tool, latch means, and on the other, means capable of being engaged by the latch means, and associating with the latch means means for normally retaining the latch in an inactive position when the tool is being operated.

This-and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which- 1 Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pruning shears with part broken away to showdetails of the fastening attachment;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion of the handles of the pruning shears showing the attachment;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the pruning shears showing the latch.

Referring to the above-mentioned figures, a pruning shears, which consists of two handles 10 and 11 pivoted at 12 and provided Specification of Letters Patent.

for holding the handles the spirit of the invention as defined roe reunrne snaens.

ffatented aw. 15,1922.

' Application filed April 1, 1922. Serial No. 548,746.

with jaws 13 and 14, is shown. 7 spring 15 serves to force them apart operation has been accomplished. The handles 10 and 11 of the shears are-provided with inturned ends 18 and 22, respectively. The inturnedend 18 of the handle/10. is forked.

Pivotally mountedbetween the prongs of the forked end 18 of the handle 10 is a latch 17 the shape of a bell crank. Aflattened head 19 is provided on one arm of the bell crank shaped latch. A spring 20 is interposed between the handle 10 and the inner end of thelatch 17 This spring rotates the latch 17 about its pivot point 23, drawing the head 19 of the latch 17 into an active position where itwill engage shoulders 16 formed on the inturned end 22 of the handle 11 when the handles are brought together for performing a cutting operation. plunger 21 is slidably mounted in the handle 10 and in alinement with the latch 17.

In the operation of the shears when the handles are brought together the head 19 of the latch 17 engages the shoulders 16 thus locking the handles closed. If the operator long as the plunger 21 is held in the position be .op-

shown in Figure 2 the shears may erated. When the operator desires to lock the shears closed to place it in a holder or the pocket all that is necessary is to release the plunger. Y 1

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departing from in the appended claims.

Claims: I

1. In combination with a tool of the scissors type including spring-controlled operating handles, a locking attachment comprising latch means pivoted to one handle, means in conjunction with the other handle adapted to be engaged by the latch means when the handles are brought together,

I is located between the handles .10 and.11 and afterthe cutting spring means for normally retaining the latch means in active position, and means associated with the handle for retaining; the latch meansout of active position while the handles are being operated.

2. In combination with a tool of the scis sors type including spring-controlled operating handles, a locking attachment comprising a latch pivoted to one handle, catch means in conjunction with the other handle for engaging said latch when the handles are brought together, a springassociated with the latch for normally holding it in an active position to be engaged by said catch means when the handles are brought together, and means associated with the handles for holding the latch in an inactive ANTONIO aanssn. 

